Drum valve assembly



9 J. R. SNYDER 2,661,018

DRUM VALVE ASSEMBLY Filed April 18, 1950 5? 1317 )7 Eg. 1 45:: 15 15 H 1.a!5& M

Z20, Z9 15 3 ii Eqj 27 all: M: 0 ZZ Zzzzj Z5 51 1 11 z 5 171? 15c 56 v w v 4 15 11 1917 an ,8 1314 33133 54 Z7 Z4 154 156 ITJf EF/DT 4 Jacab Rush Snyder Z7277 VZ 5 72 Patented Dec. 1, 1953 DRUM VALVE ASSEMBLY Jacob Rush Snyder, Cleveland, Ohio assignor' to Thompson Products, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporationof; Ohio APn io tion Pril 18, 1 S ri l N 1 68 4.

6 Claims.

nve tion elate ral y to flui def canting apparatus and more particularly to a ove va a s mbly includ ng a eci o act tor selectively positioned in relatively iixed en in los n s ti ns Ac ordi o the general a r s the pr ent invention, a, spigot structure adapted to be inserted into the drain opening of a druin-type, clos n lu s a alve body efin e fluid pa sa eway with an o en e s ped to defin a ta ye eat and h ying the o er end thereof closed by a reduced necl; portion. Arod-like actuat r xten s hro gh t e eduo n ck po tion an sup rted t er by or ecipro ti a on the ax s. t efli id, p sa wa A valve s ca ried. on he. end of. the. ac a y b selec i ely s ated i the. valve opim ns to oonrol he f o o flui throug he u pa way,

'A particular teature oi the present invention lies in the provision oj" a support element which not only forms apart of the valve structure but; inaddition defines a plurality of axiallyextended arms or guide, fing'ersslidably cooperable with the walls of he fluid pa s ay to radially align the actuator andlthei valvei Moreover, the plura t oi arms or suide fingers'a'r eac p vided wi h be ds. hich, to t r t a o u terbore or step defined. by the walls of the fluid pa ag way, orm int rlocking mating m ns to retain the valve assembly in a predetermined axial 1 w p sition The i o st uctur ofthe Pr s n n i n s fu t r charact rized by he rovi n of a @lQeye-like diaphragm seal co 'ificted between the reduced neck portion at the valve body and etuat h. Reo'i rootit on of e. ac u r sult in the .nr .l n r r ng of th d n i'ra e However, the iaphragm. s s at i lv tim s fu pera ive to re d le k of the flui u ar y from t e f d. pa a a o the. ou s de o the spi o st u ture. e diaphragm seal. is partioular yefiioient its. app ication to the structure i'tiie present inven i n eohuse break-away l ad ne d not b ov rc me s is i equent y ne essary when eoinro eble.

actu t ng memb rs are tl d with a structure constructed according to conventional practice.

It is an object oi the present invention therefore, to provide? a drum valve assembly which maybe positioned s lected xial flow and n ow po ions is a. furthe o ieot oi he present n eh iim.

t pro id a drum v l e assembly m de f t inb fled elements which a e economical toj iosinee as and which include p sitioning means to radially align a. reciprocable valve assembly relative to a valve seat and to lock the valve assembly in selected longitudinal positions. I her object oi th pres nt invention. is to provide an improved diaphragm seal structure for a joint between relatively movable elements. of a. d um valve assembly- Many o h ieatur s, ad antages and, additional objects of the present invention will beme an fe t hos ve s d. in th art upon. m k n r ie enoe o the f ll w n detai ed description and the accompanying sheets oi drawings in whicht Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a drum valve assembly accordingto the present invention; 1

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view similar to that shown in Figure-1 but with elements or the valve assembly relatively positioned to permit drainage of fluid;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross; sectional view showing additional details of con?" struction of the valve assembly according to the present invention; and" i I Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Figure 1, w i

As shown on the: drawings:

The drum or container [0" is provided having the usual drum opening which, in the present sta c y be racter ed by the provi on. of an 'a'pertured boss ll def ning an internally threaded bore as at I la. v

The Spigot S r tture of the: present invention,

is n i t eneral y by th reference numeral. I2 and includes the valve body l3 having an openen ed flu pas a e 14. with. a bev l d. valve se t It. formed in. th o en termin ithe o v and a r duced neck portion 13 c o in t e ther end thereof, the reduced neck port n 13 i b-e ne aperturecl s at lab I v A flan ed collar l extern l y thread d t eiiect threaded assembly w th. the threaded por-f tion Ha of the boss II is. assembled. around. a cylindrical portion formed on one end; of the olvo. bod t and retain d by a snap rin it car ied in an annular per p eral g oove intheb y n utti g th end oith collar..- Th other end of h col ar 11 a ut a ainst. aiiah defined by the valve body [31 I The valve body I? may also be provldfid with an annular grooved recess lid to reoeivean 0e ing a l8 which s ab ishes a s a n role gio shlig between the collar l'l the valve. oy i A washer-type gasket I9 is interposed between the boss H and the collar I! to effect a further seal of the coupling joint between the spigot structure l2 and the drum or closure ID.

A generally tubular handle or actuator 20 defining an open-ended bore 20a extends through the aperture [31) in the neck Ba and is slidably positioned therein for reciprocation along the axis of the fluid passageway M by a bushing 2|.

A diaphragm seal comprising a sleeve-like diaphragm made of a flexible wear-resistant material has one end thereof interposed between the bushing 2i and the neck |3a of the valve body l3 and the other end snugly encircles a portion of the handle or actuator 20.

To promote efficient sealing, the ends of the diaphragm seal 22 may be beaded as at 22a and an appropriate peripheral grooved recess may be defined by the handle 20 to receive one of the beads. It will be evident upon making reference to the drawings that the aperture i327 of the neck I3a may be counterbored to present an abutment shoulder against which the other end of the diaphragm seal 22 may engage.

The seal effected by the diaphragm seal 22 between the fiuid passageway Iii and the outside of the spigot structure I2 is particularly efficient because it is not necessary to overcome a breakaway load upon moving the reciprocable handle or actuator 213 as has usually been necessary heretofore because of the radially-directed forces generally existing between a reciprocable shaft and a sealing structure constructed in accordance with conventional practice.

It will be noted that the handle or actuator 2!) is provided with an integral knob 281) which may be conveniently grasped for manipulation of the handle or actuator 20 in reciprocating the same and a suitable boss may also be defined by the bushing 21 so that a resilient biasing means taking the form in this embodiment of a coil spring 23 may be interposed between the knob 29b and the valve body i3 to normally bias the handle or actuator 20 in one direction.

The other end of the handle or actuator 20 is characterized by the provision of a neck upon which a valve is mounted for seating on the valve seat It to selectively control the flow of fluid through the fluid passageway I4.

This invention is particularly characterized by the provision of positioning means carried by the handle or actuator 20 and cooperable with the valve body to position the valve away from the seat against the normal bias of the coil spring 23, but being yieldable under a suitable releasing force.

In the preferred embodiment shown, the positioning means is employed as an integral part of the valve itself, a disc or washer-like apertured support member 24 being provided to be mounted on the neck portion of the handle or actuator 20 whereupon an O-ring gasket 26 may be placed against the support element 24 to overlappingly abut the peripheral edges thereof, thereby forming a valve-seating area.

A generally circular retainer 21 having shaped edge portions formed complementary to the ring gasket holds the O-ring gasket 25 in abutting engagement with the support element 24.

A bushing 28 is fitted over the neck portion of the handle 26 to complete the valve assembly. Thus, the O-ring gasket 26, together with the support element 2 and the retainer 21, operate as the head of a valve and may be selectively seated in sealing relationship with the valve seat 16 upon actuation of the handle or actuator 20 which operates as a valve stem.

A flapper-type check valve 29 made of a sleeve of flexible material with the open end thereof fitted over the outside of the bushing 28 is retained thereon by a snap ring 39, The other end of the handle 2!? is provided with an aperture 3! so that the hollow bore Zlla of the handle 2:; communicates freely with the atmosphere, the aperture 3| being positioned to lie outside of the valve body it. Thus, if decantation of fluid occurs, air from the atmosphere may be vented inwardly into the drum or closure 10 through the aperture 3 i the hollow bore 26a of the handle 28, and the check valve 29 (Figure 2). A plurality of axially extending guide fingers 32 are bent away from the support element 24 and extend rearwardly therefrom for slidable cooperation with the bore walls of the fluid passageway M. In the present embodiment, there are three fingers 32 integral with the support element 24, spaced apart from one another, thereby providing an evenly distributed support to radially position the handle 23 and the valve attached thereto relative to the valve seat 16.

As may be seen on the drawing, the valve body i3 is provided with a counterbore or step indicated by the reference numeral 33 which lies directly adjacent the beveled valve seat Iii. The counterbore or step 33 is adapted to receive in mating relationship therewith a bead 32a formed on each'of the fingers 22 (Figure 3) Because the fingers 32 and the support element 24 are preferably formed from an integral piece of metal, the fingers 32 will embody a certain amount of inherent resilience, thereby permitting the beads 32a to seat in the counterbore or step 33 with a snap-like action. After such mating relation is established between the beads 32a and the step 33, the valve and the handle 2%! will be retained in an open position against the bias of the coil spring 23. In this manner, the valve assembly is firmly retained in a predetermined axial position. In order to close the valve 'to seal off the fluid passageway it, the knob 20b of the handle 28 need only be actuated by a releasing force of sumcient quantitative value to overcome the locking action of the beads 32a and the counterbore or step 33.

To further facilitate the spring function of the fingers 32 in looking the valve assembly relative to the valve body 13 and also to permit the use of low cost, soft metal for making an integral valve fitting which includes the sup- 1 port element 24 and the fingers 32, it is desirable to employ a generally circular wire spring 34 which may be appropriately crimped as at 34a to conveniently seat in the gr ooved portion 32b on the opposite side of the bead 32a.

As will be seen on the drawing, the wire spring 34 is of an expanding nature and operates to load the guide fingers radially outwardly, the amount of load exerted thereby being, of course, sufficient to retain the valve movement against the bias of the coil spring 23, but being insufilcient to restrain movement of the valve assembly when a releasing force is applied to the handle or actuator 20.

The fluid passageway M is preferably pro vided with an outlet in the form of a nozzle 36 which communicates with the fluid passageway I4 and which may be readily adapted for at-- tachment to flexible conduits or other types of extension as are frequently employed in connection with decantation apparatus.

in operation the spring 23 will normally bias; the handle or actuator 20, and" hence the elements of the valve, into closed position so that the O-ringgaslget 26 will be seated on the valve seat ft of the valve body i3.

To permit flowof fluid outwardly of the drum or closure to through the spigot structure l-2 the knob 29 1;) of; the handle or actuator 21} is pushed against the biasof the'coil spring 23 to move the valve off its sea-t; thereby permitting to flow outwardly from the drum or closure i= through the fluid passageway-- M and through e. as.

To yieldably lock the valve assembly in flow p sition, the handle or actuator 20. reciprocated inwardly until the beads 327a on the fingers 32 meet with the counterbore or step 33 defined in the open terminal end of the valve body It It. will be. noted. that the diaphragm seal: 22 efieetively complements the; actuation of the valve assembly since. the reciprocation of the handle: may be effected without. necessitating the overcoming: of abreak-away load, It should also be. noted that. the. fingers. 32 and the support element 2%: radially position the. free end of the handle oractuator 2Q during the. course; of. movementthereof relative in the fluid. passageway M in the valve body L3,

Although various minor modifications in structure might be suggested by those versed in art, it shouldbe clearly understood that I do not: wish to bespecifieall-y l-imited to theprecise structural details herein described by way of illustration only, but wish to embody within the scope of this patent all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A spigot housing defining an open-ended bore to serve as a fluid passageway with a reduced neck portion closing the other end thereof, a valve seat portion defined by the spigot housing in the open end of the bore, an annular locking groove defined in the bore adjacent the valve seat portion, a, generally cylindrical sealing sleeve made of flexible material and having an annular bead on each end thereof, a bushing in the reduced neck portion clamping one of aid annular beads in seal-tight relationship to the spigot housing, a shaft extending through and slidably supported by the housing, said shaft defining an intermediate annular seating groove to receive the other of said annular beads of said sealing sleeve, a positioner carrier by said shaft near one end thereof in the locale of the open end of the bore, said positioner comprising a washerlike body with a plurality of radially spaced axially extending fingers to ride on the bore walls of the fluid passageway, an annular gasket partially abutting the body of the positioner and seatable on the valve seat portion of the spigot, a retainer carried by the shaft and holding the gasket in assembly with the positioner, a handle portion on the other end of the shaft and a spring operable between the handle portion on the other end of the shaft and the spigot housing to normally bias the valve assembly into closed position, said fingers defining interlocking mating means to cooperate with the annular locking groove defined by the spigot housing to retain the valve assembly in predetermined open flow position.

2. In a drum valve assembly, a valve body defining an open-ended fluid passageway, a beveled counterbore in the passageway forming a valve seat: in the open end thereof, a; stepped counterbore directly adjacent said valveseatin the fluid passageway comprising an annular seat-'- ing groove, a stem-likeactuator, a positioner carried by said actuator and defining aradial'ly extending support bQdy: with a; plurality of spacedapart. axially extending guide fingers. slidably co;- operable with the walls. of the. fluid. passageway to rad-ially align the actuator generally along the axis: of" the passageway, retainer means. carried: by the actuator, and O-ring gasket. between the; re tainer meansand: the. positioner, said. O;ri-ng gasket constructed to, overlap the positioner and be ing. seatable on the. valve seat, said Q-ring together with said retainer means, said positioner and: said actuator forming a leak-proof valve to control the. flow or fluid through the. passageway, a. bead-like protuberance iormed on: each of the axially extending uide; fingers... adapted to seat in said seating groove, biasing means between the; valvebody and: the actuator normallyefildctive; to, bias Said valve; into a closed position, and means, between said actutaor and said valve body whereby said valve may be selectively IeQiP EOrcarted, away from the valve seat against the bias or; the, biasing: means,, aid bead-like. pr tuber ances being; seatable. in the seatin groove to; retain. the valve open flow, position against h bias; of said biasing; means but being yieldable uhderareleasing forcer,

a. In, a. drumvalve assembly,, a valve body da- Qpemended fluid'passagfiway andhaving a valve seat in one end thereof, a stem-like actuator extending through the other end of said passageway and supported by said body, a positioner on one end of said actuator and having a radially extending support body with a plurality of spaced-apart axially extending guide fingers slidably cooperable with the walls of the fluid passageway to radially align the actuator for reciprocatory movement generally along the axis of the passageway, an O-ring gasket carried by said positioner and having a portion extending radially outwardly of said support body to seat on said valve seat, said O-ring together with said positioner and said actuator forming a leakproof valve to contro1 of fluid through the passageway, said valve body having recess means in said passageway mating with said guide fingers to retain the valve in open position.

4. In a drum valve assembly, a valve body having a fluid passageway, a valve seat in the end of said passageway, a, stem-like actuator, a positioner carried by said actuator and defining a radially extending support body with a plurality of spaced-apart axially extending guide fingers bent away from the outer peripheral portion thereof and being slidably cooperable with the walls of the fluid passageway to radially align the actuator generally along the axis of the passageway, an O-ring gasket carried by said positioner and having a portion extending radially outwardly of said positioner to seat on the valve seat, said O-ring together with said positioner and said actuator forming a leak-proof valve to control the flow of fluid through the passageway, means between said actuator and said valve body supporting said valve stem for selective reciprocation away from the valve seat, and mating detent means between said guide fingers and the walls of the passageway to retain the valve in a selected axial flow position.

5. In a drum valve assembly, a valve body defining a fluid passageway, a valve seat in one end of said passageway. a stem-like actuator define ing a generally tubular bore open at one end,- a positioner carried on one end of said actuator and defining a radially extending support body with a plurality of spaced-apart axially extending guide fingers slidably cooperable with the walls of the fluid passageway to radially align the actuator generally along the axis of the passageway, an O-ring gasket carried by said positioner and having at least a portion thereof extending radially outwardly of the positioner in seating relationship on the valve seat, said O- ring together with said positioner and said actuator forming a leak-proof valve to control the flow of fluid through the passageway, a check valve on the open end of the actuator, and means between said actuator and said valve body to support said actuator for reciprocation, whereby said valve may be selectively moved away from the valve seat, said actuator defining an aperture establishing communication between the hollow tubular bore thereof and the atmosphere to permit venting air to pass from the atmosphere through said hollow tubular bore through the check valve.

6. In a drum valve assembly, a valve body having a fluid passageway, a valve seat in the end of said passageway, a stem-like actuator, a positioner carried by said actuator and disposed transverse to said passageway with a plurality of integral guide fingers bent away from peripherally spaced portions thereof and being slidably cooperable with the walls of the fluid passageway to centrally align said actuator within said passageway, a resilient valve member projecting beyond the periphery of said positioner and arranged to seat on said valve seat, said resilient valve member together with said positioner and said actuator forming a leak-proof valve to control the flow of fluid through said passageway, means between said actuator and said valve body supporting said actuator for selective reciprocation of said valve member away from said valve seat, and mating detent means between said guide fingers and the wall of said passageway to retain the valve in a selected flow position.

JACOB RUSH SNYDER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 553,389 Brower Jan. 21, 1896 1,159,213 Grimm Nov. 2, 1915 1,861,442 Hammerstein June 7, 1932 1,888,130 Huffman Nov. 15, 1932 2,245,648 Campbell June 17, 1941 2,357,321 Fuller Sept. 5, 1944 2,409,532 Bentley et a1 Oct. 15, 1946 2,465,628 Border Mar. 29, 1949 2,506,722 Kuehn et a1 May 9, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 102,598 Switzerland of 1923 533,731 France of 1921 

